Polish Thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sylvester017]

I'm not for sure but I've read you shouldn't do that because it makes them think you are another rooster. I read you want them to treat you like a human so they are non threatened. Something about them challenging you if the think your a rooster. I've been doing loads of research. We plan on adding a rooster only flock this year. Not sure how it will work out yet but so far all my research sais it's possible if done right. I'm a book worm so I'll be reading this subject to death lol

Nothing wrong with reading and research. A lot of stuff needs to be weeded out as not everything will apply to everyone's flock as I found out. 5 years later and I'm still learning things I didn't know before and then feel it out if it works for my flock or not. Hearing what works for other owners is always helpful whether it applies to my situation or not. It might help someone else who reads the same post so I'm all for hearing what others have to say!

 

[jenniferlamar70]

Nothing wrong with reading and research.  A lot of stuff needs to be weeded out as not everything will apply to everyone's flock as I found out.  5 years later and I'm still learning things I didn't know before and then feel it out if it works for my flock or not.  Hearing what works for other owners is always helpful whether it applies to my situation or not.  It might help someone else who reads the same post so I'm all for hearing what others have to say! 

Thanks and me too. keeping a flock of boys for pets doesn't seem to be a popular idea but I've seen a few people on here do it. I'm excited to learn all I can to make it work. Hopefully lol.

 

[Chicken5555]

Thanks and me too.

keeping a flock of boys for pets doesn't seem to be a popular idea but I've seen a few people on here do it. I'm excited to learn all I can to make it work. Hopefully lol.

Keeping a flock of roosters for pets is not very popular, but I've never been one to follow the norm. What ever roosters I don't use for breeding are free ranged in the goat pasture as pets and as pest control.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

​Keeping a flock of roosters for pets is not very popular, but I've never been one to follow the norm. What ever roosters I don't use for breeding are free ranged in the goat pasture as pets and as pest control.

Yes we love the idea of the pest control lol. That was one of the things selling us on the idea. Are you able to add new roosters to free range or once you have a flock that's it? We have the 6 5 week old roosters we will be letting out in another 5 weeks or so. Their are a couple behind them still in the brooder we want to free range also. Not sure if we can do that without a fight?

 

[Chicken5555]

Yes we love the idea of the pest control lol. That was one of the things selling us on the idea. Are you able to add new roosters to free range or once you have a flock that's it? We have the 6 5 week old roosters we will be letting out in another 5 weeks or so. Their are a couple behind them still in the brooder we want to free range also. Not sure if we can do that without a fight?

I actually haven't tried it yet. My flock is still pretty young (oldest birds aren't even 20 weeks yet). But I did recently combine the younger and older chickens in one coop/run. There is a 10 week age gap between them.

When I put my younger chicks in the big coop there were about three days of adjusting. My Ameraucana cockerel did not hurt any of the younger chicks, even after the bantam cockerel challenged him. There was some pecking from all of the big pullets but that is part of the normal adjusting period. I stayed around for about an hour, observing but ready to intervene. Then checked on them again that evening to make sure none of the little ones were hurt. Everyone was fine. By the third day the little chicks and the big ones had figured out who's who and were taking turns eating without any bullying.

Now I know that pullets and chicks aren't the same as roosters and cockerels, but the general concept should be about the same. It is very important that the boys you intend to introduce to each other have been able to see each other for quite awhile. Also, make sure you provide a lot of options for eating and drinking instead of having one place for all to share. My boys that are free ranged don't always get along and they do put each other in their place, but there aren't any actual fights. As long as no one draws blood I'll keep them together.

I hope this helps. And good luck.

 

[Sylvester017]

Thanks and me too.

keeping a flock of boys for pets doesn't seem to be a popular idea but I've seen a few people on here do it. I'm excited to learn all I can to make it work. Hopefully lol.

Do the boys mingle well together if they're not around the girls?

 

[jenniferlamar70]

 I actually haven't tried it yet. My flock is still pretty young (oldest birds aren't even 20 weeks yet). But I did recently combine the younger and older chickens in one coop/run. There is a 10 week age gap between them.

When I put my younger chicks in the big coop there were about three days of adjusting. My Ameraucana cockerel did not hurt any of the younger chicks, even after the bantam cockerel challenged him. There was some pecking from all of the big pullets but that is part of the normal adjusting period. I stayed around for about an hour, observing but ready to intervene. Then checked on them again that evening to make sure none of the little ones were hurt. Everyone was fine. By the third day the little chicks and the big ones had figured out who's who and were taking turns eating without any bullying.


Now I know that pullets and chicks aren't the same as roosters and cockerels, but the general concept should be about the same. It is very important that the boys you intend to introduce to each other have been able to see each other for quite awhile. Also, make sure you provide a lot of options for eating and drinking instead of having one place for all to share. My boys that are free ranged don't always get along and they do put each other in their place, but there aren't any actual fights. As long as no one draws blood I'll keep them together.

I hope this helps. And good luck.

Yes we have done integration quite a bit lol. We have a grow out pen inside my main coop. I also have an isolation coop for aggressive behavior and a separate coop for my bantams. We plan on building 2 more breeder pens and one more rooster house lol. I have 2 full grown roosters the rest are still juvenile so we will see how it all goes.. wish me luck.

Do the boys mingle well together if they're not around the girls?

Yes mine were doing great no fighting. They all were acting like a bunch of hens lol. I did have them beside the main coop with all my girls. They were doing really well. Recently I put them back in the main coop for now. They are all getting along. This gives me a little time to get the rooster coop done. I spoke with someone else who said they can't let theirs see the hens or they fight but then I've read they need to see hens for the social aspect so I'm not sure how I'm supposed to go about it yet.. guess only time will tell.

 

[Sylvester017]

Yes we have done integration quite a bit lol. We have a grow out pen inside my main coop. I also have an isolation coop for aggressive behavior and a separate coop for my bantams. We plan on building 2 more breeder pens and one more rooster house lol. I have 2 full grown roosters the rest are still juvenile so we will see how it all goes.. wish me luck.

Yes mine were doing great no fighting. They all were acting like a bunch of hens lol. I did have them beside the main coop with all my girls. They were doing really well. Recently I put them back in the main coop for now. They are all getting along. This gives me a little time to get the rooster coop done. I spoke with someone else who said they can't let theirs see the hens or they fight but then I've read they need to see hens for the social aspect so I'm not sure how I'm supposed to go about it yet.. guess only time will tell.

I can't have roos and have to re-home any cockerels we acquire. But from hearing other roo owners the worst time of year is Spring or breeding season when the cocks will fight each other for mating privileges with hens. The older chickens (noticed it just with my hens) get more assertive to absolutely aggressive from about 18 months onward. I've resorted to keeping only the gentlest most docile of breeds to keep relative peace in my backyard. All of my "common" heavy, dual-purpose, and egg-layer production breeds have been re-homed. I've cycled through 14 chickens in 5 yrs to get down to my best 4 gentles to keep together. My DH won't give up his 2 Silkies so I've found a Blue Wheaten Ameraucana and Blue Breda the best of lightweight docile large fowl to keep with the Silkies. Unfortunately the vet had to put down our sweet Ameraucana so we've ordered another Breda (a Cuckoo this time) to add to the flock since we found the Breda to be quite good at egg production, are good flockmates in the backyard, and don't harass the Silkies the way large dual-purpose breeds seem to do. I'm hopeful you'll post your progress with the roos?

 

[jenniferlamar70]

I can't have roos and have to re-home any cockerels we acquire.  But from hearing other roo owners the worst time of year is Spring or breeding season when the cocks will fight each other for mating privileges with hens.  The older chickens (noticed it just with my hens) get more assertive to absolutely aggressive from about 18 months onward.  I've resorted to keeping only the gentlest most docile of breeds to keep relative peace in my backyard.  All of my "common" heavy, dual-purpose, and egg-layer production breeds have been re-homed.  I've cycled through 14 chickens in 5 yrs to get down to my best 4 gentles to keep together.  My DH won't give up his 2 Silkies so I've found a Blue Wheaten Ameraucana and Blue Breda the best of lightweight docile large fowl to keep with the Silkies.  Unfortunately the vet had to put down our sweet Ameraucana so we've ordered another Breda (a Cuckoo this time) to add to the flock since we found the Breda to be quite good at egg production, are good flockmates in the backyard, and don't harass the Silkies the way large dual-purpose breeds seem to do.  I'm hopeful you'll post your progress with the roos?

I will definitely give a progress report. It's funny cause our 3 week old welsummer started crowing yesterday morning. I didn't know what it was at first lol. Earlier I was outside and my polish Marley was finding treats for his girl and started doing his little wing dance. First time we have seen him behave this way. He was overheating so we brought him in the house. He has been running all over the utility room. He is just so sweet.

 

[Sylvester017]

I will definitely give a progress report. It's funny cause our 3 week old welsummer started crowing yesterday morning. I didn't know what it was at first lol. Earlier I was outside and my polish Marley was finding treats for his girl and started doing his little wing dance. First time we have seen him behave this way. He was overheating so we brought him in the house. He has been running all over the utility room. He is just so sweet.

Wellies is yet another breed I would've loved to have in the flock. And from reading it seems owners really love their Polish for sweetness and docile temperaments. I almost went with a Polish hen to add to my little gentle flock when I was looking into a white egg layer after re-homing our dual-purpose hens and Leghorn layer. Fate guided me to experiment with a Blue Breda instead which is about the same weight as a Polish and lays white eggs. I decided to try the Breda in lieu of the Polish because Breda have absolutely no comb and just a tiny triangle tuft of feathers on their head. I already had the two crested Silkies and didn't really want a 3rd full-crested bird. Thus, the Breda experiment began and I haven't regretted it. As much as the Polish would've been cute to add to the flock as a gentle breed we found the Breda quite comical and gentle too and I won't have to deal with a 3rd crested hen. I'm so limited in space and have the Silkie dynamic to deal with that it narrows a lot of choices in breeds I would like to add. The Breda turned out a laying dynamo that outshines any other laying breed we've experimented with (except for our previous White Leghorn). The Silkies are cute and are good layers when they're in their cycle but we wanted a couple hens that were more consistent layers throughout the year. I gave up on a colorful egg basket after realizing the colored, brown, or white egg layers, were not going to get along together! DH stresses if he sees his Silkies getting picked on so it's nice to have found not only a lightweight large fowl that is docile around them but is also giving us a steady egg supply as well. Hey! It only took us 5 yrs to cycle through a bunch of breeds before finally getting a combo that worked for us! We aren't zoned for roos and sadly had to re-home two lovely cockerels over the years.